Tri-radial or cross cut genoa?

[mrming]

Not really relevant to a roller genoa, but with some racing laminates (such as mine) a cross cut design is all you need as the cloth is very efficient at spreading the load. The complexity of a tri-radial design is unnecessary. Not sure how this scales up but I have seen it work fine on a racy 29 footer with a tall rig.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I suspect there is something similar going on with my genoa as its made out of three of four larger panels. You can see the joins in the photo;

 

[westhinder]

Foam in the luff is not universally accepted as necessary by lofts. Both North and Jeckells reckon it's not needed if the sail is cut cleverly enough. I don't know the attitude of other lofts.

My North genoa has a foam luff and sets beautifully when partly rolled. It came with the boat, so I do not know whether the previous owner had to insist on having the foam luff. They may have changed view in the meantime though.

 

[johnalison]

My new jib is going to have rope instead of foam, on the grounds that it is less likely to attract mildew.

 

[Kwik Decision]

Foam in the luff is not universally accepted as necessary by lofts. Both North and Jeckells reckon it's not needed if the sail is cut cleverly enough. I don't know the attitude of other lofts.

Our new No 3 Genny, from Jeckells and delivered soon after the SBS, has a foam luff, and furls very well. The purpose of the foam is to reduce the "belly" which forms in the middle of the luff as you furl the sail. If you have swanky new roller furling gear, where the middle bit of the sail starts to roll before the top and bottom, the foam isn't needed, but as we have old rotostay furling, Jeckells recommended the foam......

Oh, and I recommend that if the OP should order a sail from Exchange sails, you pay by credit card - this makes it far easier to get your money back should they send you the wrong sails twice.

 

[Angele]

.....The purpose of the foam is to reduce the "belly" which forms in the middle of the luff as you furl the sail.....

Does this constitute "Lakesailoring"? (see #19).

 

[robertt]

Just noticed that Westaway Sails have the exact same used sail list as Exchange Sails so presumably one and the same company?

 

[Kwik Decision]

Just noticed that Westaway Sails have the exact same used sail list as Exchange Sails so presumably one and the same company?

Effectively yes, they are run by the same people from the same place, although I don't know the details - they may be technically different companies.

 

[Birdseye]

No, I have a tri-rad in Dacron, from North.

To the OP - tri-rads do furl.

I always wonder why boatbuider put the drum below decks / very low down and then leave a pullpit that makes a nonsense of the aerodynamics of the sail at that point. Any drive you might have been getting from that bit of low down sail has gone because of the interference of the pullpit rail. I have the same problem.

Pretty boat by the way. Not as pretty as my Starlight of course but then nothing is!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Yeah, the rail gets in the way when the jib is freed off a bit. So much so that the foot is being restitched at the moment - the stitching had chafed through on the guard rail. However, tight to windward the sail sits inside the rail, so all the area is working and further off the wind, the sail pops out around the front of the pulpit. It's just tight reaching that it's pear-shaped.

 

[G12]

Triradial hydranet, 3 seasons, no sign of shape loss or stretch, so far so good

Dimension Polyant's Hydranet Radial is an excellent fabric for radial cut sails (Bi or Tri). To have a tri radial cut sail doesn't mean it has to be a laminate, it's just how it's cut.

 

[nathanglasgow]

If the pennies can stretch to it a new headsail will transform your sailing. Got a new furling headsail made by Saturn sails couple of years ago. Single biggest expense of boat ownership but utterly transformed the boat. Worth doing the overtime to pay for it.

 

[robertt]

Just a thought. If the luff is 33' would I get away with buying one that is 34'?
Just because there is one for sale (sail?) locally

 

[PeterWright]

If the luff is 33' would I get away with buying one that is 34'?

Hi Robert,

The last thing you want is a luff that's too long. When the halyard splice is jammed in the top sheave you will still have a slack luff and it will set like an old pillow case, or worse.

In answer to your original question, the tri radial will be a better sail, and set better when part furled, provided it was built as a roller furling sail. Whatever cut you have, if it was not built for roller furling / reefing, it will not set properly when part furled. Sail design is a bit more complicated than bedsheets, and every sail is designed for a particular purpose.

Peter

 

[DoubleEnder]

Just a thought. If the luff is 33' would I get away with buying one that is 34'?
Just because there is one for sale (sail?) locally

Might be worth getting a quote from a local loft to cut a bit off....I did that and was surprisingly good value